By Sam Sooppersaud
Don’t some folks ever learn? Apparently not! The United States of America Cricket Association (USACA) was suspended by the International Cricket Council (ICC) as an Associate Member of that body from June 2005 to March 2006. This was the first of two suspensions. We were reinstated with the conditions that we adopt a (the) new constitution and hold elections for office bearers. USACA failed to meet these conditions in a timely manner. The ICC extended the deadline for USACA to satisfy these conditions, and again they (USACA) reneged. So the ICC had no alternative but to suspend us for the second time, in two years.

Scene from the 2008 USACA election. Photo by Shiek Mohamed

A statement from ICC on March 3rd, 2007 read as follows: “The International Cricket Council (ICC) has suspended the United States of America Cricket Association (USACA) for the second time in two years……” ICC CEO Malcolm Speed continued in his statement,” It gives the ICC Board no pleasure to re-enact this suspension, but given the lack of progress towards a functioning administration of USA cricket, it has been left with little alternative.”

So here it is cricket fans, the statement speaks for itself. The administration which got us kicked out of the ICC is still in power (with a few changes). They are doing their very best to “go down memory lane,” and get us suspended for a third time. Regardless of the fact that this was pointed out to the Executive Board of USACA on numerous occasions, there was stagnation on the part of USACA, then came word from the Board that elections will be held “between March 8 and November 30, 2011.” No specific date, but sometime during that period.

The last USACA elections were held on March 29, 2008. This was after the West Indies Cricket Board interceded at the request of ICC, and got our officials “to think straight.” Now, let us take a look at the Constitution of the United States of America Cricket Association.

ARTICLE XXI: Section 4 (ELECTIONS) reads as follows: The candidate who emerges with the majority of the votes shall serve in the respective capacity for a period of three (3) years. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that if USACA is to conduct (hold) the elections for office bearers as per the constitution, then this event must take place the latest March 29, 2011.

Do the math, March 29, 2008 to March 29, 2011. That is a time period of three (3) years. Now, folks, look at the announced date for the elections: sometime between March 8 and November 30. Let me dissect this time period. Should elections be held between March 8 and November 29 then I will give the Board of Directors a passing grade for obeying the constitution. Holding elections between March 30 and November 30 will be an invitation for ICC to enact a third suspension, again for failure to hold elections as per USACA’s constitution.

So gentlemen, on the sitting Board, I will urge you to rethink our situation. It is not like you are unaware of what ICC’s mandate is. I spoke to a USACA Board member on Monday (February 14) and he requested anonymity, so I will respect his wishes by not identifying him. He told me that he raised the question of elections and its timing at a recent Board meeting. So the Board is aware of their obligations to hold the elections in a timely manner.

Let me remind all of this statement from the ICC, “This suspension has been enacted on the basis of USACA’s failure to meet the agreed deadlines for the adoption ……. and the holding of elections…”

As I am in a cajoling mood let me point out another matter which the USACA Board should address and take action. In November 2011, (this year) the ICC Women’s World Cup (2012) Qualifier will be staged in Bangladesh. I have received several calls from players asking me for information on what USACA is doing with regards to the Women’s cricket Program. They feel that women’s cricket is being neglected by the all-male Executive Board, so it seems. When last contacted the Executive Board said that “they will get to it” after the Under 19 Qualifier is done with. Now that that tournament is over with, the ladies are anxiously awaiting word from USACA.

Though disappointed at how USACA is dragging its feet with regards to Women’s Cricket, the ladies are not disillusioned to the point of discouragement. They have banded together on the East Coast and have been attending clinics and practice sessions since the beginning of this year, at the Dreamcricket facility in New Jersey. They are working out under the keen eyes of coach Linden Fraser and Basil Butcher, Jr. These two dedicated coaches and the ladies are spending their own cash to fund these camps.

The ladies have told me that they are very motivated. They feel that they have players with the ability to make the USA proud of their female cricketers. All they need is the structure and support of our leading cricket body in this country. They admitted to me that they have turned to the media as a last resort because everyone else they have spoken to, including the respective regional boards have been apathetic to their plight. The women want the public to know what is going on. It is their hope that with public pressure USACA will look at the plight of women’s cricket more closely.

The views expressed here are those of the contributor, and do not necessarily reflect those of www.newyorkcricket.com

10 Comments

To Youth Cricketer. The answer to your question is an emphatic “Yes”, we will have a NYCR Election. When? I will not give a timetable as the machinery has to be set in place. When Elections are finally held I want to see openness, fairplay, and democracy at work. I have been speaking to some responsible people in the region. I foresee that long before the start of the cricket season we will have had our elections.

I think the people at USACA has a ploy. They know full well that Elections must be held by March 29th (or we will be hearing from ICC). But they are stalling. They want to wait “until the last minute” then announce the date for the Elections. Their deviousness is to catch the prospective candidates ‘with their pants down” meaning that they will not have tine within which to go through the nomination process.

According to the USACA constitution “all nominations must be in writing ……and must be sent to the Executive Secretary no later than 30 days prior to the elections” So the longer the “clique” waits, the better it is for their scheme to succeed.

I will encourage all cricket fans, who are intent in seeing that USACA do the right thing by obeying the constitution, to flood the ICC with e-mails informing of what’s going on with respect to USACA’s intention not to hold Elections in a timely manner. This will wake up these “do-nothings”.

@Federer: No one ever said Linden Fraser or Basil Butcher were the sole owners of women cricket. Also if others are doing what this group is doing and is getting tired of USACA not doing anything then why dont they speak out, am sure one of the many reporters out there would love to hear from others about what is going on. But then again lots of people out there have issues and are afraid to come out and say anything cause there are afraid of what might happen to them. So if there are a few who is not afraid to to say what they think well so be it. One thing I do agree with you on is that it seems like USACA does not care for the Women players in this country. The women have a great opportunity in November to go to the World Cup Qualifiers and do well, but USACA need to start preparing these women from now.

To Federer: Fraser and Butcher are not “claiming” ownership of Women’s cricket as you suggested. These gentlemen are doing what USACA has failed to do. If our ladies are to be in readiness for November’s Qualifier in Bangladesh then someone has to take the responsibility to help them prepare. With regards to “spending our own money”. Crickert in America thanks all those who go deep in their pockets to fund this pastime. I am sure you are one of those who spends his own cash also. The women are not complaining thath they are spending their own funds, they merely want to emphasise that USACA is not living up to its responsibility to take care of them. Afterall, Women’s cricket is part of the mission of USACA.

Never knew Women’s cricket was sole ownership of Linden Fraser and Basil Butcher !! You have mentioned about these coaches and a few women spending their own cash to fund these camps. How about the rest of us who are funding our own training sessions and not making a big issue of it. Except for a few people, looks like USACA does not care about players waiting to get an opportunity to play. On whose door do we knock to be noticed ?